Psych! Using Psychology to Pass That Test
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Three ways that all students can use psychology to pass their next test. #studyingtips #testtakingstrategies
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The You Got Into Where? College Admissions Blog
Posts by High School and College Students Around the World on Their Admissions Experiences
Four Bad Study Habits and How to Break Them
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Studying is crucial to success in school. However, many people don’t know how to study. Or, arguably worse, they fall into bad study habits. However, there are ways to break those bad habits that we all have when studying, and here are a few tips that I have to overcome them.
Bad Study Habit #1: Procrastinating
While this is not necessarily a study habit, it is a bad habit which prohibits them from studying. Procrastination is the most common setback that high school and college students have to overcome. When it comes to breaking this habit, the best advice that I have is to just start now. If you have a test in two weeks, start now. If you have finals in a month, start now. You do not have to spend hours studying every day, but if you just start with 20 minutes a day, and then increase your study time as the test gets closer, it will prevent you from procrastinating work until the last minute. Another way I like to combat procrastination is by making to-do lists. This way, I feel more accountable for completing all of my tasks, which helps to counteract the desire to put off work.
Bad Study Habit #2: Studying With Distractions
A bad study habit that I know I am guilty of is studying with distractions Julia Cunningham
. Whether it is loud T.V. or music playing in the background or having your phone next to you while you are studying, studying with any sort of distractions is counter-productive and inefficient. Most young adults are most distracted by things like social media, television, or music. However, if you have these things around you while you are studying, it is much easier to succumb to these distractions. I recommend unplugging while studying to avoid these common distractions. Turn off your phone and T.V. or leave them in a different room while you study. Also, if you are often distracted on by your computer, but have homework that requires the use of the Internet, try using SelfControl. It is a free app that is available for Macs. How it works is you type in websites that you often get distracted by, i.e. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc., and it temporarily blocks you from those websites for a specified amount of time. This allows you to completely avoid distractions, while still allowing you to use technology for homework and studying. Another approach to avoid distractions is to study in a different environment. Personally, I like to study in coffee shops, but a library or café may also be good places to study. These are places where distractions are minimal and you can really get into the zone while studying.
Bad Study Habit #3: Studying Late at Night
As a high school student, I completely understand that there are some nights where it is impossible with all of the work that you have to get a good night’s rest. However, sleep is crucial to performance in school. That is why it is important to not stay up studying late at night. Not only will it keep you from getting a proper night’s sleep, but studying late ate night also will not be productive. If you are studying super late at night when you’re tired, your brain will not be able to focus on absorbing the material. While it may seem like it is benefitting you to stay up and read your textbook or notes at 2:00 am; however, it will ultimately hurt your focus in the long run, and end up not being very successful. What I recommend is prioritizing your most important work and work with approaching deadlines first, that way you know that you will at least have your most crucial work done, and based off of when you finish that, you can decide whether sleep or work is the better use of your time. I would always recommend sleep.
Bad Study Habit #4: Over Studying/ Cramming
A final study habit that people often do not realize is bad is over studying, or cramming. I know how it is when you may have already committed bad study habit #1, procrastination, but cramming is not a useful or productive form of studying. My rule of thumb is that I study very minimally before the day of a test, as I should have already prepared myself before. However, I know this is often not realistic in high school and college, with so much work being thrown at you. If you absolutely cannot study in advance for a test, there are better alternatives than cramming. If it is the night before a test that you have not studied for, start out by reading your teacher’s lecture notes (if they provide them). Lecture notes are often a good overview of whatever topic that test is on, and likely what the test will be based on. This is something that should not take too long, and it is better than trying to read an entire textbook, which is virtually impossible, before a test. If this is all you can do, do not stress. Like I mentioned before, sleep is very important for concentration, so rather than cramming all night, cram as little as possible the day before a test, sleep well, and then at least you will have the focus and hopefully reasoning skills to tackle that test.
With these tips, I hope you can break your bad study habits, and strive for more productive and focused work. Happy studying!
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How to Not Freak Out About Junior Year
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A guide on how to handle your junior year so you will be successful senior year.
“Junior year is admittedly the toughest year of high school student’s life, but in every part of life there is a need for balance” -Unknown
Junior Year. Finally, an upperclassman! You’ve gotten through your first two years and now you’re a step closer to your senior year. Don’t let all that get to your head because as a junior, you have more responsibilities which means you must have more accountability. As prom, homecoming, extracurricular, jobs, AP Testing, and etc. come speeding towards you, make sure to keep these four points in mind to have a successful junior year.
Grades! Grades! Grades!
Make sure to keep your grades up. Your junior year transcript as well as your transcripts from your previous years will be the ones you will send to colleges in the fall of your senior year. Make sure you study for your classes, as well as participate, and ask questions if you don’t understand the content. They say that junior year is the hardest year and for good reason. When selecting your classes, be sure to include rigorous courses (i.e. AP classes or any advanced level class). College admission boards really like to see that a student is challenging her/himself with a college-level class in high school. Take about one or two AP Classes a year. I wouldn’t go as far as to take more than three unless you know you will be able to handle the amount of work you will be given.
Procrastination is A Sin!
Procrastination is something you really don’t want to do as a junior. Try to do your homework right after you come home. Be sure to know when your deadlines are so you won’t to be shocked when you have a project due the next day. You don’t want to be stressed with a difficult task because stress equals no success. When you receive a project, start working on it immediately. Spread out the amount of work you need to do within your given time-frame and try to finish it early so you know for sure that you have completed your work. With the extra time, you can use it look for any mistakes and to review your objectives so you know what you’ve done is to your teacher’s accord. With tests, make sure you know when you will be testing whether it’s for the ACT/SAT or just a regular test. And set aside an hour every day to study.
College Research
Junior year is a great time to start compiling a list of colleges you would like to attend. You can meet with your counselor as well as your parents to figure out what major you would like to pursue. While compiling your list, note the admissions requirements of each college to make sure that you would be the right fit. Plan on going on a few college visits during the school breaks so you can really get a feel for the schools you have listed. This will help you narrow down the list of schools to apply to.
Work Hard... Play Hard!
Last but not least, make sure you have some fun. Continue with the extracurricular activities that you enjoy and even take up some more. Colleges like to see that you can balance your school work as well as a few extracurricular activities. As a junior, try to attend as many school sponsored activities such a sports games, school dances, or parades as possible without hindering your grades. Life can’t just be all work and no play.
I hope these tips will help you out these upcoming year. Leave a comment down below if you have any questions. And as always make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Sources:
http://8448-presscdn-0-13.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Good-Grades.jpg
https://piratenationsurvival.wordpress.com/2015/05/05/take-a-deep-breath-the-junior-year-crisis/
